What Makes Lucknow Awesome

Lucknow is better known by its epithet of “The City of Nawabs”. The heart of Uttar Pradesh, this city speaks of the effortless union of tradition and modernity. It is a city that boasts of its rich cultural and historical heritage and takes immense pride in the status that it holds today in the national sphere. It is a city that has clung on to its culture and traditions without being biased or orthodox. It is a favourite tourist spot and people come pouring in from all parts of the world to experience the subtle yet enticing beauty of this magical city.

Here are 13 reasons why Lucknow is awesome and why you need to visit this place if you haven’t and revisit it if you already have.

The food

A place is half defined by its food. Lucknow does not lack in this sphere. It serves such amazing food that all your gustatory impulses come rushing to you no matter how you control it. We are host to the very well-known Tunday Kababi. Feeling hungry already? Well yeah, you should. Because the mouth-watering and the soft kebabs really melt in your mouth. The Biriyani served here is something to die for. What’s more? The colossal basket chaat of Royal Café and the unmatched sweets of Radhey Lal’s Parampara combined with the excellent kulfi at Prakash Kulfi House is like the best things you could get in life. The Meetha Paan is a speciality here and “Sharma ji ki Chai” is something we all crave for.

The textiles

Who hasn’t heard of the Chikankari of Lucknow? The traditional ethnic embroidery style originated and developed in Lucknow. It is said to have been introduced by Nur Jahan which again points to the history the city has. It is delicate and very skilfully done and when it is completed it looks ethereal in all the senses of the word. The best part is it can be done on all types of cloth materials be it chiffon or georgette. The SEWA chikankari work is quite a hit among people. The main market for buying genuine chikan textiles is Chowk and Aminabad.

The people

Believe me, I am not exaggerating when I say that the people follow the ideal of ‘Tehzeeb’ and ‘Pehle aap’. It is not a false belief that people are extremely courteous here. It’s true to the core of it. People here are extremely genuine and polite. They are so kind and generous that even if you ask for their help at 2 in the night they won’t hesitate. It is as if humbleness is innate in them. They make you fall in love with city even more.

The rich history

The history of the city is immense. It was one of the centres for the revolt of 1857 and was one of the few cities which had a woman leader during the rebellion, Begum Hazrat Mahal. It has many historical monuments in the Old Lucknow side to stand as a witness to the exceptional history that it contains. It has the Bada Imambara, the Roomi Darwaza, the Bhool Bhulaiyya, the Safed Baradari and the Residency which are a must visit and are quite famous among the local people.

The education

Lucknow offers quality education in almost all the fields. We have great schools out here in Lucknow including the City Montessori School, Loreto Convent, La Martineire College among many others. For medicine, we have the King George Medical University which occupies the apex position in nationwide. We have a top ranked IIM, an IIHM and a number of good engineering and arts colleges.

The language

The language spoken in Lucknow is so pristine and feels so good to hear to. But this does not exist without variety. There is terrific Awadhi language spoken by people in some parts whereas you can hear clear, legit pure Urdu and fundamentally true Hindi spoken by others. It feels like watching different shades of the same colour.

The awesome go to spots and the life

Hazratganj is like the most awesome place you will visit. It is too great a place to be described in words but if you are in Lucknow do go Ganjing. The Marine Drive, The River Front, The Ambedkar Park are some of the many spots that you would find the localites frequenting. The life at Chowk starts at night only specially during festivals. The night life here is quite good due to the presence of myriad clubs and lounges.

The poets and scholars

There are some stupendous scholars who have their roots in Lucknow. Javed Akhtar, Iftikhar Arif, Kaifi Azmi, Majaz, Maulana Hasrat Mohani and the list is unending. The Kaifi Azmi Academy in Mahanagar is proof of the incredible legacy of Lucknow.

The Centre for art and music

Kathakali, Ghazals and Mushaiyaras are what make Lucknow what it is. The Sangeet Natak Kala Academy and The Lalit Kala Academy are a place for blooming talents. Lucknow is also a home to the great dancer Manjari Chaturvedi, Ali Fazal, Baba Sehgal, Muzaffar Ali and many other such luminaries.

The local markets

There are weekly markets in every part of Lucknow, the most famous one being the Wednesday Market of Nishatganj. You get quality clothes here at unbelievably cheap prices. You get an overcoat for a mere 400 bucks. Every Wednesday, the place is chaotic but it is too much fun. If you are looking for really good junk jewellery or bangles Gadbadjhaala in Aminabad is your stop. In short here lies the Lucknow.

The safety

Lucknow is a happy go lucky city with humane people. Safety is not much of an issue here and the city is generally secure. We have the women helpline 1090 that is available at all times. Unless you get really unlucky, there is nothing to be afraid of except of course The ghosts and the spirits.

The growing popularity

Lucknow is growing popular by the minute and has become for shooting Bollywood films. From Umrao Jaan to Gadar to Tanu Weds Manu to Jolly LLB 2 to Bareilly Ki Barfi all of these movies have been filmed here. If you get lucky, you might even meet some of the stars while being here. Not only this many tournaments of the badminton Premier League were conducted in Lucknow and a cricket match would soon be held if fortune permits.

The fact that its Lucknow, guys

The fundamental reason why Lucknow is awesome is because its Lucknow. Where will you find such stark diversity existing in a single city? If there are lit cafes at one end there are also awesome tea stalls that attract gazillions of people. There is everything in Lucknow. You name it, we got it.

So, are you still sitting and feeling privileged by looking at memes? Get up and get going. Pack your bags and start your journey to Lucknow, because honestly there is no memeing of life. You need to experience, explore and get energised. And if you have reached Lucknow then “Muskuraiye ki aap Lucknow me hain”